Strabismus Surgery

Strabismus surgery loosens or tightens the muscles that control eye movement, helping to bring the patient's two eyes in line with each other.

Types of Strabismus Surgery

There are two main types of strabismus surgery - recession and resection. Several different muscles can have these two types of procedures to get the right result.

A recession procedure weakens the action of a muscle by moving its attachment further back on the eyeball.

A resection procedure strengthens the action of a muscle by reattaching it to the original position after removing a small section of muscle.

Your eye will be gently held open with a lid speculum, which allows the surgeon to reach the muscles attached to your eye. Most strabismus surgeries take less than two hours to complete.

Anesthesia and Recovery

Most patients will have general anesthesia for strabismus surgery. The surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, which means you do not have to check into a hospital or stay overnight.

It is normal for the white part of your eye to look red after strabismus surgery. This redness can last from a few weeks to a few months after the surgery. Your eye may feel sore when you look around, and it may feel dry or scratchy. These are normal, but be sure to tell your doctor about it so he can tell you what to do to make your eyes more comfortable as you heal.

Depending on your specific procedure, you may or may not need a patch on your eye after surgery. You may also get a prescription for antibiotic or steroid eye drops, depending on exactly what procedure was used.